Not applicable.
This invention relates to methods of deriving energy from large bodies of water. A body of water could be an ocean, lake or a man made water mass. It is more particularly concerned with a specific technology which can utilize a renewable and environment friendly energy, the water pressure that exists at certain depths within any large water mass. The system is based on the continous availability of water pressure, for example within oceans and lakes, but is not limited to natural oceans and lakes, man made water reservoirs could also serve the same purpose, if such water body has about 200 meters depth. Invention aims to utilize water pressure, using a special apparatus to compress a low density, highly compressable gas within a relatively short time, in order to increase the temperature of such gas, by increasing the pressure of the same. The high pressure and high temperature gas obtained by this compression is then stabilized at an adjacent insulated volumexe2x80x94which stabilizes and transfers the heat to the semi-thermos volume. Within this semi-thermos volume, the closed cycle working gas is circulated through spiral pipes.
Within this volume, tempeature of working gas increases due to thermal equilibrium with the semi-thermos volume. Continuity becomes possible as compressions are repeatable, for re-generating additonal thermal energy input with each repeated compression.
Various methods of generating power from oceans have been proposed or developed. The ones that are in a marine environment are OTEC, ebb and tide systems, wave energy. More specifically related to renewable energy sources and to the ocean environment, the following concepts and methods for generating power from oceans are current state of the art.
There are more than twenty one such patented systems on this general subject area, namely renewable energy generation from ocean waters. Non of these have the same technical method as the Water Pressure Multiplier Energy Generation System. Below are some examples. Only ones which do not have an external thermal differentials of sea water dependency (OTEC) for their functioning and which could be considered relevant to this invention, are mentioned.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,322 Date of patent: Nov. 23, 1993 Method of Recovering Energy From Liquids in Deep Cavities, Inventor: Alberto E. Molini. This system uses the buoyancy property of gases disolved in deep liquids. The only similarity or common issue with my invention is the fact that this system also makes use of the hydrostatic pressure of a deep liquid as an initiator, but for a different process. From U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,600 Date of patent: August 2000 Maritime Power Plant System With Processes for Producing, Storing and Consuming Regenerative Energy. Inventor: Tassilo Pflanz. This is a combination renewable energy system. It has many different renewable energy system generations combined on a marine platform. The only similarity to my invention is that this system also has wind and/or solar energy generationxe2x80x94which in my system would exist at sea surface for operational energy only.
From Japanese Pat. No. JP405256248A Pubn-Date: Oct. 5, 1993 Seawater Hydraulic Generating Plant. Inventor: Kato, Takehito. This system is close in principle, to river water based dam systemsxe2x80x94where the generators are turned by the flow of water. The only similar aspect of this invention to my system is that, this system also has its"" main input as water pressure. But with two big differences: This system lets the high pressure external water enter the system directly to do work against water turbines and hence is 100% water based, not gas. The main prior art OTEC, requires external sea water thermal gradient of a minimum of 20 C. temperature differential between different layers of sea water. This limits geographic regions to only certain latitudes. OTEC is expensive due to expensive heat exchangers and long and large diameter pipes. Even the advanced OTEC systems require very large amounts of pumping; 2,500,000 pounds of warm sea water per minute as input. Outputs of 1,780,000 pounds of sea water to the evaporator.
Ebb and tide systems are also subject to geographic constraints and require investments that are too costly. Neither could wave energy systems prove to be a globally applicable efficient energy generation system, as these mostly depend on wind directions.
OTEC systems have costly requirements; such as warm water flows of 7,450 kg/sec/Mw and oveall great amounts of water displacement needs. Prior art systems also require cold water pipes with large diameters (57 feet per Mw) which all add to high costs.
Therefore, there is a need for a lower cost system, which is less complicated but achieves an efficient way of renewable energy generation. This system (Water Pressure Multiplier Energy Generation System,) would not have the constraints which prior art have. It would not depend on temperature differentials between external water layers, it would not need massive vertical structures, no use or problems about the dissolved gases of the sea water would be involved, no requirements about salinity differentials between lower and upper layers of sea water, no dependency on weather conditions above sea water surface, and most importantly, no need to reach depths of 500 meters or more.
The present invention is a system for pressurizing gas repeatedly. The system includes a fixed two cylinder structure, which are connected to each other with a pipe. The cylinder structures are positioned at a specific depth below the surface standing horizontally within a body of water. Within the cylinders are two different area pistons, which can move within the inner volume of cylinders with near zero friction. One has a smaller diameter and hence area and the other larger one, three times the area of the of the smaller. Only the smaller area surface of the piston which can move within the cylinder, is periodically subjected to external water pressure. (This is phase 1.)
When subjected to external water pressure as a result of opening a shiftable closure, small area piston transmits this external force, mechanically via the hydraulic oil to the larger area piston. (Phase 2.)
As a result, the external water pressure input force from the small area piston is multiplied at the other larger area piston side.
The large area nonconducting piston then pressurizes a specific gas volume above it, and compresses this gas volume within a short time to {fraction (1/17)} of its"" initial volume. (Phase 3.)
As a result of this compression of the gas to {fraction (1/17)} of its"" initial volume, the temperature of this gas increases 25 fold. This thermal energy generated internally is stablized within a range of minimum variation in an adjacent temperature stabilization and transfer-volume-heat chamber. Thermal energy is utilized to obtain thermal equilibrium with the semi-thermos volume, in which the working gas closed cycle pipe system is also located. At this temperture range the working gas attains high pressure to turn generators. (Phase 4)
Working gas passing the generators is then re-circulated without a condensation process. (Thereby minimizing energy loss of the working gas.)
Continuity of high pressure availibility for the working gas would be due to the fact that input pressure compressions are repeatablexe2x80x94every 25 minutes, re-supplying thermal energy input due to compressions.
System solves problems that prior art have; the need for complicated and costly structures, based mostly on an operational principle which depends on external temperature gradients of different depths of sea water. As a result of this, these require large water masses to be pumped and are subject to reach great depths of the sea water. Large sea water quantities have to be pumped up from great depths. Furthermore, the required temperature differential of 20 C. occur only at certain latitudes. (Between 20 north and 20 south latitutes; OTEC.)
This system does not need wave energy. Wave energy systems also have geographic limitations, for these depend on areas where such wave action is strong enough and continous. Such areas are very limited.
Main science and technology facts on which this invention is based are:
1. The fact that any water mass with a depth of 300 meters has a hydrostatic pressure of 30 atm.
2. The non-compressability of fluids, as in an enclosed container with a fluid of oil, as within the Pascal hydraulic-which is a force multuplier device,
3. Compressability of of gases, gas of low density, high compressibility,
4. High efficiency energy conservation and thermal equilibrium condition with limited energy loss by the application of the thermos principlexe2x80x94as a surrounding volumexe2x80x94to derive and generate a closed cycle high pressure working gas.
5. Net energy conversion of the final phase of high pressure working gas
(kinetic through the turbines,) becomes mechanic to electric, which has 97% net efficiency.
In effect, if force applied is increased only three times at the larger piston side due to the Pascal hydraulic multiplier effect, initial force applied being the external water pressure from one side, then this is obtaining the water pressure of 900 meters water depth, at only 300 meters!
Therefore, this system is able to generate a very high pressure without having to place the system at extreme depths! (Note that if placed at deeper waters, a very high pressure multiplication would resultxe2x80x94but operation would be more difficult.)